In the fields of video games, the technique of using an isometric projection has been popular because of the ease with which 2 dimensional (2D) sprite- and tile-based graphics can be made to represent or “simulate” a 3 dimensional (3D) gaming environment. Because objects in an isometric projection do not change size as they move about the game environment, the gaming systems do not scale sprites or do the complex calculations used by traditional 3D gaming environments. The relative simple computations used to render isometric projections allow such systems as 8-bit, 16-bit game systems, and, more recently, handheld and mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones) to simulate large 3D gaming environments easily.